Travel Books--August 2014

Bookmobile out of service

A journey into the heart of Mexico City, set against the backdrop of the author's emergence from grief after his wife's death, considers how the city has changed since the Institutional Revolutionary Party's return to power in the 2012 elections.

The author describes his trip to the remotest parts of the country far away from the capital, including the Islamic area of Xinjiang province, the forbidden zone of Tibet, and Route 219, which borders India.

Paints a unique picture of Indonesia and its citizens, where 80 million residents from over 300 ethnic groups across 13,500 islands live without electricity and some communities still participate in ritual sacrifices. 12,000 first printing.

<b>SOON TO BE A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE<br></b><br>"I experienced that sinking feeling you get when you know you have conned yourself into doing something difficult and there's no going back." So begins Robyn Davidson's perilous journey across 1,700 miles of hostile Australian desert to the sea with only four camels and a dog for company.<br><br>Enduring sweltering heat, fending off poisonous snakes and lecherous men, chasing her camels when they get skittish and nursing them when they are injured, Davidson emerges as an extraordinarily courageous heroine driven by a love of Australia's landscape, an empathy for its indigenous people, and a willingness to cast away the trappings of her former identity. <i>Tracks</i> is the compelling, candid story of her odyssey of discovery and transformation.

<div>Jeff Greenwald's classic travelogue follows his quest for the "perfect" Buddha statue. At turns hilarious and moving, his quest features a cast of amazing characters ? from a passionate palmist to a flying lama ? who provide unforgettable glimpses into the daily life and culture of the former kingdom (including a wild ride on Kathmandu’s very first escalator). Greenwald doesn't shy away from Shangri-la’s darker side. Along with colorful descriptions of Hindu and Buddhist mythology, the book tells of the rampant corruption, art smuggling, assassination attempts and human right abuses that would ignite Nepal’s violent "People Power" Revolution in April 1990.<br><BR>A new afterword by the author recounts Nepal's tumultuous recent history ? including the massacre of the royal family ? in vivid detail. And a new preface introduces this 25th anniversary edition with some thoughts about how Nepal, and travel writing, have evolved since the book’s first publication. <I>Shopping for Buddhas</I> remains a must-read for anyone who has visited, or plans to visit, Nepal.<br></div>